


He Was Smiling

by mapleandmahogany



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Drama, Ficlet, Post War, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Eternity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-28
Updated: 2007-07-28
Packaged: 2018-10-27 17:20:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10813413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mapleandmahogany/pseuds/mapleandmahogany
Summary: Is it George or Lee who needs help coping?





	He Was Smiling

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes: Written for [](http://community.livejournal.com/glee_hp/profile)[](http://community.livejournal.com/glee_hp/)**glee_hp** on Live Journal.  


* * *

~^~

“Oi! What are you doing down here in the dark? Why didn’t you come up?” George yelled at Lee from the stairs when he saw him sitting on an empty crate in the middle of the shop.

Lee shrugged before he spoke in that somber quiet voice that everyone kept using, the one that sounded like they were afraid of disturbing the dead.

“You’ve done a lot of work here already.” Lee looked around.

“Yeah, good ol’ Ministry didn’t leave much after their _inspections_ , did they? Fred would be hacked off about it, wouldn’t he?” George asked. Lee winced. “But people are itching to start spending their Knuts again, right?”

George used his wand to make a pile of rubbish spin into a cyclone and into a nearby bin.

“I saw Percy last night,” Lee said, looking at the cyclone rather than at George directly. It was the only unpleasant side effect of wearing his twin’s face, people wouldn’t look at him. “He said they’re all worried about you. … So am I, to be honest.”

“Aw, go on with you. Didn’t I carry on enough for everyone at the memorial? It’s time to get back to it! There’s loads to be done now.” George smiled, hoping Lee would mirror the expression, but he still wasn’t looking.

“You did say beautiful things at the memorial,” Lee agreed, a reluctant smile flickered for a moment before he suppressed it again. “But it’s only been a week, George. You can take more time for, for him.”

“I’m not going to let any time waste without giving people a laugh and some fun after all we’ve been through.”

“But he … he.”

“Have a look at this!” George pulled a grubby roll of parchment from his pocket that Lee recognized as Fred’s. “I’ve lists and lists of our ideas here. Fred kept them all - his handwriting’s a nightmare - but it all here. All the things we wanted to do. His notes!”

George was excited as he shook the parchment and Lee grimaced as a green glob dripped out of the end of the roll. “Ulgh – what’s that?”

“Oh!” George grinned. “I got the password wrong when I tried to make the ink visible. It sprayed Stinksap on me and laughed.”

Lee just nodded. George was frustrated not to have earned even a smile for that one.

“You gonna stick around, mate? I could use your help. There’s merchandise upstairs to stock.”

“No, listen, George, your brother said the family would like it if you’d go back with them for a bit. They think you’re trying to forget about him by working too hard.”

“I’m not going to forget about _Fred_!” George yelled. Other people never understood how he and Fred worked together but this coming from Lee was too much. “Say his name, Lee! Don’t deny him just because it hurts. Say his name! Would Fred have tolerated all this bemoaning over him? _Say his name_!” George demanded, taking Lee by the shoulders.

“ _F-Fred_ ,” he choked, his voice strangled by a cry.

George pulled Lee into a hug, squeezing him fiercely around the shoulders.

“Do I really have to cry for people everyday so they will know I miss him?” George asked, his own voice cracking with sorrow and anger.

Lee shook his head where his face was buried in the crook of George’s neck.

“Do I have to let our home and our business and everything Fred and I worked for go down the pot?”

“No,” Lee muttered, pulling back so that he and George were wet face to wet face. “You should do what he’d have wanted. You’re right.”

“Well then, Fred wanted jokes and laughter and fun. You saw his face, didn’t you?” Lee winced and frowned, but he nodded, squeezing his eyes shut against the memory. “He was smiling!” George continued, beginning to sound frantic that Lee, of all people, should understand. “He died fighting at our brother’s side. He was feeling strong and proud and he was young - and Lee, he was _smiling_! We can’t let people forget how important that is!”

“I know. You’re right.” Lee nodded, as more tears rolled down his face.

“Fred would kick my arse if I Bumphed it and got all soft now. Yours as well.”

Lee let out wracked little laugh but quickly frowned, shook his head, and pressed his lips together.

“No, don’t.” George urged gently. He used the palms of both of his hands to dry Lee’s face. “It’s okay to smile. It’s okay to laugh.” He let thumb linger slowly over Lee’s lips until they softened, turning into a small kiss on the pad of George’s thumb.

Lee opened his anguished eyes to gaze into George’s. His desperate look was full of question as sniffed and he wiped away the tears that ran down George’s cheek.

“It’s okay? You sure he won’t mind?” Lee asked, leaning closer to George’s face, his eyes dropping to his lips.

George held the back of his best friend's head and smiled as he whispered against Lee’s mouth before kissing him. “It’s okay. Fred won’t mind.”

~^~

_Bumphed_ \- QtA – when a _Beater_ knocks a Bludger into the crowd, halting the game, to keep the opposing Chaser from scoring.


End file.
